Page 27 of A Christmas For Holly

But as I thought about it, I couldn’t shake the feeling being in Wishing Tree would be more complicated than I’d anticipated.

“Can I help you find something?” Pirate Wesley asked, thankfully dropping the accent.

He appeared younger than me, with a mustache and short beard that made him seem as if he’d stepped out of some swashbuckling era of movie stars. He smiled in encouragement, his eyes bright, and his easygoing friendliness lifted my spirits.

“No, I’m good,” I replied, trying to keep it casual, although the warmth of the store and his welcoming demeanor were starting to chip away at my defenses.

“Are you sure? You looking for books?”

“I don’t know,” I lied. Of course, I was looking for books, for God’s sake.

He leaned in slightly, his tone playful. “Don’t tell anyone, but this is a bookstore.”

A reluctant smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “No? For real?”

“What kinds of things do you like to read?” Wesley asked, leaning in as if we were sharing some big, important secret. “Horror? Non-fiction? Crime?” His voice dropped lower, playful. “How about romance?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the shift in tone. Was he flirting? The grin on his face and that glint in his eyes felt like flirting. But maybe that was how he was: friendly and charming to everyone who walked through the door. Still, how he leaned in a little closer made my heart stutter.

“Uh, not my thing,” I muttered, trying to play it cool. “More into action, adventure… thrillers.”

Wesley’s smile didn’t falter, his eyes sparkling as he tilted his head. “Hmm, no romance? Not even a little? Everyone likes a good love story.”

Something in his voice made me feel like he was waiting for me to admit to something.

Great, now I’m imagining things.

“Not really.”

He wiggled his eyebrows and handed me a book with a bright, swooping title and a man with dog tags staring out. “Maybe you just haven’t found therightstory yet.”

I laughed as I took the book, feeling awkward.

Wesley watched me, that teasing smile lingering as he waited for me to say something.

“Maybe I’ll give romance a shot,” I said, trying to sound as if my mind wasn’t spinning in a million different directions.

His grin widened. “There’s hope for you yet.” He winked, stepping back but still holding my gaze. “I could get you a coffee and recommend a few… if you’re curious.”

Now, thatwasflirting. I shifted on my feet, feeling my cheeks warming despite the cold air outside. “I’ll… keep that in mind,” I said, offering a small, awkward smile.

Wesley’s smile softened. “Are you staying long in town? Just here for the Christmas celebrations?” he asked, his voice warm as if he genuinely cared about the answer.

I hesitated, the truth sitting heavy on my tongue. “Not sure yet. A while, maybe.” It was the first time I’d admitted any of my plans out loud, and the weight of anxiety knotted in my chest. He hadn’t indicated he recognized me, and why would he? Not everyone knew hockey, even if Wishing Tree was home to Kai Buchanan. “Just… taking some time away from everything.”

Wesley’s eyes flickered with curiosity, but he didn’t push. Instead, he leaned in slightly, still playful. “Well, if you need a guide to all the local Christmas traditions—or just someone to share some hot chocolate with—let me know. I’m an expert on both.”

“Thank you. Um… do you sell chargers for e-readers at all?”

He clutched his chest in pretend horror. “An e-reader!” he exhaled and then grinned. “Aye, this way, you cursed landlubber!”

He helped me find the charger I needed, joking about real books versus cloud books and then dragged me away.

“Come and see the sale!” he said, and I focused back on him as he led me to a table near the front of the store, where a stack of used paperbacks with red stickers caught my eye. Before I knew it, I had ten of them, a mix of thrillers and adventure novels, plus a couple of brand-new hardbacks that had grabbed my attention. I didn’t need all of them, but there was something comforting about losing myself in real-life pages instead of my e-reader. A good story was something I could disappear into without overthinking the rest of my life.

We headed to the counter, and I started stacking the books there. Wesley rang them up, still chatting about the different genres and what had been popular lately. Slipping in yet another invite to discuss books over coffee, which I smiled at. A coffeewith a cute guy could be what I needed. I’d take my books back to the cabin and stoke the fire, and then I could sit, chill, and wait for Kai to be better.

No need to talk to Lucas at all.

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